Abstract

Macau’s economy has been dependent on the gaming industry since the 18th century, when it was under Portuguese control. Macau became a Special administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on December 20, 1999. With the Chinese government implementing the “one country, two systems” policy, Macau continued to have an open economy with a legal gaming industry. The case discusses the state of Macanese economy after the handover. It gives details of the SAR government’s initiatives to transform the island into an international tourism and gaming center, including the opening up of the gaming industry. The favorable policy changes attracted several foreign casino operators, who announced plans to build resorts, hotels, exhibition and conference amenities, showrooms, shopping malls, spas, restau-rants, and entertainment facilities, besides casinos, in Macau. The expansion of the gaming industry was expected to bring huge opportunities as well as challenges for Macau. The case deals with some of these issues, and ends with a discussion on the future prospects for the economy of Macau.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Learn about Macau’s gaming industry and its role in the economy
• Critically analyze the various initiatives taken by the Macau government to transform Macau into an international gaming and tourist destination
• Analyze the impact of promoting gambling on society and other industries in Macau
• and Evaluate the future prospects of Macau’s economy.

Keywords

Macau economy, Gaming Industry, Tourism, Effect of gambling on society, Casino resort, Entertainment capital, Diversification of the economy, Special Administrative Region